16 November: Introduction to the Immune System

Defense against toxins and pollutants

• Recognition (“us vs. them”) • Activation (“right soldiers + weapons called up”: appropriate immune cells and molecules are mobilized) • Effector (Mobilized cells and molecules attempt elimination: “trying to stop foes, to alert others to help, , and eliminate enemies

“Early alert system”: Alert for enemies, and to eliminate + hold in check • Non-specific in response • Rapid: Takes within minutes to hours

Protective soldiers with experience + training, like the green beret or navy seals (has memory) • Specific in response • Takes three to five minutes to a week to respond, and is slower than innate immunity

Innate + Adaptive • Born with both, but takes time to fully adapt the adaptive immunity (lol)

Bone Marrow, Thymus gland

Lymph nodes

White blood cells

Red blood cells

• Physical barriers and spatial dimensions • Chemical defenses + communication • Cellular defenses

Chemical signals for cell movement

Chemical signals between white blood cells

Attract white blood cells through chemo taxis (movement in response to a chemical

• Skin • Mucous membranes • Epithelial cells

Protective organ, needed to live. Multiple layers of tightly packed cells that get shedded daily + takes bacteria along with it Salty, and a decreased water availability creates a bad environment for bacterial to survive Flexible and tough because of keratin and collagen

Respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems Super sticky material that traps bacteria, dust, and fungal spores

Tightly packed like skin Has a thin layer that constantly sheds (24-48 hours) Moist (needs to stay well hydrated)

Movement of muscles in small intestine, moves feces

Proteins that protect from virally infected host cells + tells them to beware of infections

Infection replication cycles

Very limited, iron usually bound to proteins Needs hemoglobin, lactoferrin and transferrin

Series of proteins that help bring phagocytes to site of infection + triggers inflammation Also causes holds in bacterial membrane “Brings in soldiers” Can grab onto microbes

20-50 amino acids, positively charged, mucus membrane, immune cells, neutrophil